Special Homefront Situation Declared

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon decided, Tuesday to declare a Special Homefront Situation in communities and regional councils withing a 40-kilometer/26-mile radius of Gaza because of rocket fire originating in the Hamas-ruled area. Community leaders requested the status on Monday.

During a discussion with Homefront Commander Eyal Eisenberg and other security and emergency officials, Ya'alon said the confrontation with Hamas would not end in a few days. He said that in recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) hit dozens of Hamas targets and was continuing efforts to take a heavy toll on the terror organization. He added that the IDF was ready to expand the campaign. He said the public's following the instructions of the Homefront Command was important for avoiding casualties.